Furnace



G. W. M KEE March 6, 1934.

FURNACE Filed Nov. 21, 1929 Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FURNACE V Garnet 'W. McKee, Rockford, Ill.

Application November 21, 1929, Serial No. 408,701

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in furnaces, and has particular reference to a new and improved gas-fired furnace.

One of the primary objects of the present int vention resides in the provision of a novel gasfired furnace having a plurality of burners in which gas and air are supplied to the burners from compactly arranged gas and air manifolds.

A more specific object resides in the provilil sion of gas and air manifolds arranged in concentric relation beneath the burner base, and connected through a plurality of gas and air mixers to the respective burners.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a furnace embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the furnace.

29 While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawing and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative construction falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring more particularly to the drawing,

the furnace may be of any suitable shape or form,

and in the exemplary embodiment of the invention is circular in cross-section and is disposed vertically. The furnace comprises a suitable base section, preferably a casting, represented generally as 10. The section comprises a relatively fiat bottom or end wall 11,

and an upstanding peripheral wall 12. Projecting outwardly from the upper edge of the wall 12 is a peripheral flange wall or ledge 13 to the underside of which a plurality of suitable supporting legs 14 are secured.

Mounted on the ledge 13 is a cylindrical shell 15 which constitutes the outer peripheral wall of the furnace. The lower end of the wall 15 is embraced by an upstanding flange 16 formed on the outer peripheral edge of the ledge 13.

Secured within the lower end of the shell 15 is an inner shell 1'7 which constitutes the bottorn wall of a water and steam chamber 18, and

which preferably is in the form of an inverted dome to define a suitable combustion chamber 19. More specifically, the shell 17 comprises a fiat upper end wall 20 and 9. depending peripheral wall 212, the latter being parallel to the shell 15 to define an annular depending water leg 22 from the chamber 18, and the lower end thereof being struck outwardly into a close fit with the shell 15 and riveted thereto. A suitable door 23 is provided opening through the water leg 22 to the combustion chamber 19.

The upper end of the shell 15 is closed by an end wall 24 provided with a suitable flue gas outlet 25. The top of the water and steam chamber 18 is closed by an intermediate wall 26 joined to the shell 15 and defining with the wall 24, a flue gas chamber 27. Opening vertically through the chamber 18 and the walls 20 and 26, from the combustion chamber 19 to the flue gas chamber 27, are a plurality of vertical fines 28. Suitable steam discharge means 29 and suitable water inlet means 30 are provided.

Mounted in the bottom of the combustion chamber 19 is a suitable fire pot 31. In the present instance, the pot is made of suitable refractory material, and comprises a bottom wall 32 lining the top of the wall 11, and a peripheral wall 33 lining the inside of the wall 12 and extending beyond same into the member 17 in closely spaced relation to the wall 21. refractory radiating core 34 is mounted on the in peripherally through the wall 33 toward the core 34 are a plurality of suitable gas burners 35. is connected to a proportional air and gas mixer 36. While the mixers 36 may be of any suitable construction, in the present instance, each mixer comprises a gas inlet chamber 37, a fuel discharge nozzle 38 preferably opening through the wall 12, and an air injector nozzle 39 opening in front of and discharging into the nozzle 38.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the means for supplying gas and air to the mixers 36. This means comprises gas and air manifolds 40 and 41 underlying the base In the present instance, the manifold 40 is flat and circular in form and the manifold 41 is concentric thereto and hence annular in form. Preferably both manifolds are formed integral with the base section 10.

Gas is adapted to be supplied to the manifold 40 through a suitable pipe 42 opening thereto through the bottom wall. Interposed in the pipe 42 is a suitable zero governor 43 of standard construction, and a valve 44 at the discharge side of the governor for adjusting the fuel-air ratio of the fuel mixture discharged from the mixers 36. Air for combustion is adapted to be supplied to the manifold 41 through a suitable pipe 45 open- Each burner 35 ing thereto through a fitting 46 in the outer wall.

The gas manifold 40 is connected to the gas inlet chambers 37 of the respective mixers 36 through a plurality of pipes 47. Similarly, the air manifold is connected to the inlet nozzles 39 of the respective mixers 36 through a plurality of pipes 48.

It will be evident that by this construction, but

' a single zero governor is necessary for all of the mixers 36. The parts are compactly arranged, and the manifolds together with the connecting pipes are located out of the way beneath the furnace.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gas-fired furnace, in combination, a supporting base plate having a peripheral wall, a fire pot on said base plate and having a central radiant core, a plurality of peripherally spaced burners openinginto said pot, a plurality of gas and air mixers "connected respectively to said burners, a gas manifold, a concentric air manifold about said gas manifold, said manifolds being formed integral with and on the underside of said plate, a gas supply line opening to said gas manifold, a zero governor in said gas supply line, an adjusting valve in said line at the discharge V side of said governor, a plurality of gas pipes conmeeting said gas manifold respectively to said mixers, an air supply pipe connected to said air manifold, and a pluraliiy of air pipes connecting said air manifold respectively to said mixers.

2. In a gas-fired furnace, in combination, a supporting base plate, a fire pot on said base plate, a plurality of peripherally spaced burners-opening into said pot, a plurality of proportional gas and air mixers connected respectively. to said burners, a gas manifold, a concentric air manifold about said gas manifold, said manifolds being formed integral with said plate and being in a common plane below said plate, a gas supply line opening to said gas manifold, a plurality of gas pipes connecting said gas manifold respectively to said mixers, an air supply pipe connected to said air manifold, and a plurality of air pipes connecting said air manifold respectively to said mixers.

3. In a gas-fired furnace, in combination, a

supporting base, a fire pot on said base, a plurality of burners opening into said pot, a plurality of gas and air mixers connected respectively to said burners, a gas manifold, an air manifold,

' said manifolds being concentric and being formed integral with said base, a gas supply line opening to said gas manifold, a plurality of gas pipes connecting said gas manifold respectively to said mixers, an air supply pipe connected to said air manifold, and a plurality of air pipes connecting said air manifold respectively to said mixers.

4. In a gas-fired furnace, in combination, a supporting base, a fire pot on said base, a plurality of burners opening into said pot, a plurality of gas and air mixers connected respectively to said burners, a gas manifold, an air manifold, said mainfolds being, integral and located-below said base, one of said manifolds extending about the other in a common horizontal plane, a gas supply line opening to said gas manifold, means connecting said gas manifold to said mixers, an air supply pipe connected to said air manifold, and means connecting said air manifold to said mixers. a

5. In a gas-fired furnace, in combination, a supporting base plate, a fire pot on said base plate, a plurality of peripherally spaced burners opening into said pot, a gas manifold, an air manifold,

6. In a gas-fired furnace, in combination, a

supporting base plate, a fire pot onsaid base plate, a plurality of peripherally spaced burners opening into said pot, a plurality of proportional gas and air mixers of the inspirator type connected respectively to said burners, each mixer comprising a mixing chamber, an induction chamber, and an air injection nozzle in said induction chamber orientated to discharge into said mixing chamber, a gas manifold, means including a zero governorfor supplying gas at a substantially constant pressure to said manifold, a plurality of pipes connecting said manifold respectively to said induction chambers, an air manifold, means for supplying air under pressure to said air manifold and a plurality of pipes connecting said air manifold respectively to said injection nozzles, said manifolds being integral and located beneath said plate.

'7. In a gas-fired furnace, in combination, a supporting base plate, a fire pot on said plate, a shallow circular manifold formed centrally on the underside of said plate, a shallow annular manifold formed on the underside of said plate concentrically about said first mentioned manlfold, said manifolds being separated by a common partition wall, means for supplying one constituent of an air-gas mixture to said circular manifold, means for supplying the other constituent of said mixture to said annulanmanifold, a plurality of burners opening into said body, and means connecting said manifolds to each burner.

8. In a gas-fired furnace, in combination, a supporting base plate having a peripheral wall, a fire pot on said base plate and having a central radiant core, a plurality of peripherally spaced burners opening into said pot, a plurality of proportional gas and air mixers connected respectively to said burners, a central manifold, a concentric manifold about said central manifold, said manifolds being mounted on the underside of said plate, a gas supply line opening to one of said manifolds, a zero governor in said gas supply line, an adjusting valvein said line at the discharge side of said governor, a plurality of gas pipes connecting the gas manifold respectively to said mixers, an air supply pipe connected to the other of said manifolds, and a plurality of air pipes connecting the air manifold respectively to said mixers.

9. In a gas-fired furnace, in combination, a horizontal supporting base, a fire pot on said base, a shallow horizontal manifold mounted in position centrally on the underside of said base, a shallow horizontal manifold also mounted in position on the underside of said base and extending about said first-mentioned manifold, said manifolds lying in a common horizontal plane and being of integral construction and separated by a common partition wall, means for supplying one constituent of an air-gas mixture to said circular manifold, means for supplying the other constituent of said mixture to said annular manifold, a plurality of burners opening into said body, and means connecting said manifolds to 

